The Master Builders Association Malaysia, Persatuan Kontraktor Bumiputera Malaysia, and Persatuan Kontraktor India Malaysia said they were “deeply alarmed” by the sudden implementation of the crackdown.
The operation, which began on Oct 15 and will run to Dec 31, penalises overloaded commercial vehicles.
“While we fully support road safety and infrastructure preservation, the sudden enforcement of these measures, without adequate transitional support for compliance, risks paralysing the construction sector at a time when the economy is still recovering,” they said in a joint statement today.
This follows transport minister Loke Siew Fook’s announcement that companies caught with overloaded vehicles could have their operating licences revoked under a new enforcement framework.
Loke said the initiative was aimed at ending the long-standing practice of transport operators treating fines as “a mere cost of doing business”.
He said the ministry would no longer tolerate drivers, owners, or transport companies that disregard road safety and public welfare.
However, the associations said the move had already caused “serious disruption” to material supplies and project timelines.
“Materials like aggregates, sand and cement, which are vital for ongoing projects, are predominantly transported by these vehicle types,” they said.
They said the crackdown would drastically reduce load capacity, requiring twice as many trips, higher fuel consumption, and inevitable delays.
The groups also said compliance with the new rules would likely double haulage costs, as transporters would need to upgrade fleets, implement stricter weighing procedures, and retrain drivers.
“These costs will inevitably be passed on to contractors and, ultimately, to homeowners and developers, inflating project budgets amid already volatile material prices,” they said.
They also warned that requiring local drivers to operate heavy vehicles would “result in an immediate shortage of drivers” and further exacerbate delivery delays.
They cautioned that project delays could derail infrastructure and housing developments under the 13th Malaysia Plan, with contractors forced to bear penalties for late delivery.
“Contractors are already operating on thin margins following the implementation of the sales and service tax. They cannot absorb the additional cost burden resulting from this sudden enforcement,” they said.
The associations urged the transport ministry and JPJ to hold immediate discussions with construction stakeholders to devise a phased or flexible enforcement plan.
“Enforcement must not come at the expense of economic vitality. We call for collaborative action to safeguard jobs, projects, and public welfare,” they said.